Beginning Oct. 7, Unitil is planning to spray the herbicide glyphosate along power lines in Concord to control plant life. We at the Nature Discovery Center in Warner are appalled.
Glyphosate is a chemical found in “Roundup” and is contributing to the decline of monarch butterflies, bees and other pollinators. Without pollinators, we won’t have food to eat, and humans will die out along with all other creatures. Is this what we want?
Glyphosate is banned in most developed countries, and causes cancer in many who use it. Some U.S. farmers spray glyphosate on their fields to control weeds, but this chemical has been linked to cancer and autism in those who eat food grown in these fields. The Amish in Pennsylvania grow their food organically and have a drastically lower rate of cancer and autism than the rest of the country.
Sure, glyphosate will kill unwanted plant growth, but it will also destroy other life and will contaminate our groundwater. Why would Unitil want to contribute to the extinction of pollinators and the human race? There are more environmentally friendly ways of controlling plant growth, like hiring a herd of goats or mowing. This is a serious matter, and we hope Unitil will become a leader in saving the environment by reconsidering how they remove unwanted plant growth.
If you’re as concerned about this spraying as we are, tell Unitil.
BARBARA LASSONDE
Warner
(The writer is a board member of the Nature Discovery Center in Warner.)